Food Safety

Buy Haywood, the North Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Task Force, and the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) offered a Fresh Produce Safety Training program in Haywood County on July 24, 2008.   The training provided participants with research-based information and advice on procedures that growers, field workers, and packers of fresh fruits and vegetables can use to encourage safe handling of fresh produce.  Nearly 50 farmers and agency officials attended.

To ensure the high quality of Buy Haywood fruits and vegetables, all participating growers and packing houses are committed to meeting food safety standards. To help achieve these food safety goals, our project partners offer regular training and one-on-one assistance to help growers and packers learn and follow the latest ideas in food safety.

Consumers also have an important role to play in maintaining food safety from the point of purchase to the dinner table.

Below you will find a few simple but important suggestions to help you avoid trouble:

• When you are shopping, perishable food such as meat and poultry should be wrapped securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from getting onto other food.
• When selecting fresh produce, use the plastic bags available in the store. Those bags provide added protection to prevent contamination from the meat to the produce.
• When preparing your food, be sure you have clean hands, clean utensils, and clean preparation and cooking surfaces.
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water before eating or preparing them for consumption.

These are just a few suggestions on how to keep your food safe. To learn more about how you can maintain food safety, contact your local North Carolina Cooperative Extension office, or visit the Safe Food Handling pages on the website of the Partnership for Food Safety Education.